He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
He that hath an ear. This clause precedes the promise in the first three addresses, succeeds to it in the last four. Thus, the promises are enclosed on both sides with the precept urging the deepest attention to most momentous truths. Every man "hath an ear" naturally; he alone will be able to hear spiritually to whom God has given "the hearing ear;" whose 'ear God hath wakened' and "opened" (Isaiah 50:4). Compare 'faith, the ears of the soul' (Clemens Alexandrinus).
The Spirit saith - what Christ saith; so one are the Second and Third Persons.
Unto the churches - not merely to the particular, but to the universal, Church.
Give ... the tree of life. The promise corresponds to the faithfulness. They who refrain from Nicolaitane indulgences (Revelation 2:6) and idol meats (Revelation 2:14-15) shall eat of meat infinitely superior-namely, the fruit of the tree of life, and the hidden manna (Revelation 2:17).
Overcometh - in John's gospel (Rev. 16:33) and first letter, (Revelation 2:13-14; Revelation 5:4-5) an object follows-namely, 'the world,' 'the wicked one.' Here, where the final issue is spoken of, the conqueror is named absolutely. Paul uses a similar image, 1 Corinthians 9:24-25; 2 Timothy 2:5; not the same as John's, except Romans 12:21.
Will I give - as Judge. The tree of life in Paradise, lost by the fall, is restored by the Redeemer. Compare Proverbs 3:18; Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 13:12; Proverbs 15:4; prophetically, Revelation 22:2; Revelation 22:14; Ezekiel 47:12: cf. John 6:51. These introductory addresses are linked closely to the body of Revelation. Thus, the tree of life here, with Revelation 22:2; deliverance from the second death (Revelation 2:11), with Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:8; the new name (Revelation 2:17), with Revelation 14:1; power over the nations (Revelation 2:26), with Revelation 20:4; the morning star (Revelation 2:28), with Revelation 22:16; the white raiment (Revelation 3:5), with Revelation 4:4; Revelation 16:15; the name in the book of life (Revelation 3:5), with Revelation 13:8; Revelation 20:15; the new Jerusalem and its citizenship (Revelation 3:12), with Revelation 21:10.
In the midst of the paradise. 'Aleph (') A B C h, Vulgate, omit "the midst of." In Genesis 2:9, appropriate; for there were other trees in the garden, but not in the midst of it. Here the tree of life is simply in the paradise; for no other tree is mentioned in it. In Rev. 29:2 , the tree of life is 'in the midst of the street of Jerusalem;' from this the clause was inserted here. Paradise (Persian), originally any garden of delight: then specially Eden: then the temporary abode of pious souls: then "the paradise of God," the third heaven, the immediate presence of God (2 Corinthians 12:4).
Of God - (Ezekiel 28:13) 'Aleph (') A C; but B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Cyprian, 'MY God,' as Revelation 3:12. So Christ calls God " My God and your God" (John 20:17: cf. Ephesians 1:17). God is our God, as being peculiarly Christ's God. The main bliss of Paradise is, it is the Paradise of God: God dwells there (Revelation 21:3). We lost in Adam the paradise of man; we gain in Christ the paradise of God. We were driven out of that: we 'go no more out' of this.